Pelham man hopes fundraiser keeps Chelmsford boys' memories alive

Ray and Lisa Wilkins call Chelmsford their home, but Pelham is a close second. It's where Ray grew up and where he's worked in the school system for more than 30 years.

Pelham now wants to help the Wilkinses out like they were one of their own. The couple is recovering after losing their third son to muscular dystrophy in January, after losing their other boys in 2006 and 2012.

A Pelham native who heard of the family's situation has begun a fundraising effort to create a memorial at the Pelham Memorial School, where Ray is a maintenance worker and has been a baseball and basketball coach. A seating area would be created outside the school with a bench with a plaque or inscription and three trees -- one each for Kyle, Matthew and Patrick -- in the boys' memory.

"I thought it would be a great thing for Ray to go to school every day and see an honor of his boys," said Natasha Goyette, who attended the Memorial School and knew Ray from when she was a student.

For the Wilkinses, the memorial is also meaningful because the triplets never went to school in Pelham. But the town has always been active in fundraisers through the years to help pay for the boys' care, including installing handicapped-accessible ramps at their home and an accessible van that could fit their wheelchairs.

"That's the part that's overwhelming," Ray said of Pelham wanting to build a memorial. "We were definitely honored, for sure."

Money will be raised in the coming months, with a goal of starting work this spring.

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Fundraising will be organized through the Pelham Good Neighbor Fund, which last year gave $26,000 to residents for aid for heat, rent, food and other needs.

People may donate by making a check payable to the Pelham Good Neighbor Fund, writing in the memo line "Wilkins Memorial Fund." Checks may be mailed to the fund at P.O. Box 953, Pelham, NH, 03076. The projected cost for the memorial is $3,000.

Memorial School Principal Steve Secor said Ray Wilkins and his family are deserving of the honor.

"In the short time I have known Mr. Wilkins, I have developed a deep appreciation for him as an employee, community member and most importantly, a father to his three boys," he said. "Mr. Wilkins has over 30 years of dedicated service to our school district in our maintenance department. He has coached several sports in Pelham and many students have benefited from his caring approach."

The Wilkins triplets, born minutes apart on March 15, 1991, started their lives healthy but were diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, a degenerative disease with no known cure, at age 5.

Despite the diagnosis -- and a doctor's estimate they might not make it past age 12 -- the boys made the most of their time, making seven trips to Disney World, and countless Lowell Spinners or Lowell Lock Monsters games. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Patrick met Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron and Kyle met comedian Robin Williams.

Matthew Wilkins died in 2006 at age 15. Patrick, who was taking online classes at Southern New Hampshire University, died last March. Kyle, a student at UMass Lowell, died in January.

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